Parc Architectes renovate a 19th-century office building in Paris with a beautiful wooden facade

French design studio Parc Architectsrenovated an existing courtyard building in Paris by replacing a monotonous aluminium facade from the 1970 with a playful wooden structure. The new facade resumes the sequencing of the original one and references its 19th century construction, while providing optimal thermal insulation and transparency.

The office building is nestled in the heart of the 11th district in Paris. Built near the end of the 19th century, the building expanded during the 1970s, when it acquired a new aluminum facade which had little to do with the appearance of the neighboring buildings and its context. Parc Architectes were commissioned to redesign the facade and meet all the needs of the building’s current occupants, including enough daylight, optimal ventilation and contemporary design that exudes warmth.

The architects removed the joinery from the original building and glazed the new facade with wooden window frames installed facing the courtyard and the patio. The new look of the exterior is dominated by vertical elements, while the railing at the sills draws creates a more horizontal gesture. Black lacquered metal strengthens the wooden structure and also animate the facade and gives it rhythm.